1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable communication apparatus, and more particularly, is suitably applied to a portable telephone apparatus which calls using a telephone directory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional portable telephone apparatuses are provided with telephone directory function for registering telephone numbers using names as keywords so that, at calling, the desired telephone number can be automatically called by reading the registered telephone directory and then specifying the destination. This eliminates the need for users to memorize telephone numbers improving useability.
However, conventional portable telephone apparatuses can display only two lines on a liquid crystal display provided as a display means and cannot show the overall telephone directory at a time. Thus, in such portable telephone apparatuses, a scroll key is operated to scroll the telephone directory. In this case, if the telephone directory has a large number of items, it takes a lot of time to reach the desired item. To avoid this problem, conventional portable apparatuses enable a short cut in which when any of the numbers allotted to respective items (hereafter, referred to as an item number) is input, the display is jumped to that item number skipping the intermediate display. This allows the user to view the desired item immediately without sequentially scrolling the telephone directory.
However, If the user does not know such a short cut function, when the user inadvertently presses a numerical key regarded as the item number while the telephone directory is being displayed, the screen is suddenly switched and the user does not know what is happening. This makes the portable telephone apparatus cumbersome to the user.
In addition, the short cut function has a time limit according to a timer for the acceptance of numerical keys, so that an input number can be accepted while the timer is effective, and then a screen jumps to that number. However, If the input number has not been accepted due to the timer, an unexpected screen is displayed.
For example, the case where a jump is made to the item number "12" will be considered. If "1" and "2" have been pressed while the timer is effective, the portable telephone apparatus determines that "12" has been input and normally jumps to the item number "12". On the other hand, if there is a long interval of time between "1" and "2" and the timer has terminated during the interval, the portable telephone apparatus determines that "1" and "2" have been separately input and jumps to the item number "2". In this case, since the desired screen is not displayed, the user has to input the item number "12" again.
As described above, in conventional portable telephone apparatuses, when the short cut function is used, the user does not know that the input number has been normally accepted. Thus, such portable telephone apparatuses are still lacking in terms of useability.